Funky face-masks, smashing soap and lovely lip-glosses are awesome products but they can be really expensive. If you aren't afraid to get your hands dirty, I have an easy way for you to get the goods this summer without the high costs.

You can make all these products at home if you have the right ingredients. These recipes are easy and cheap to make... and make rad gifts for your friends.Follow these directions to make some dope soap:Materials:- Bars of natural fragrance or color free soap- Essential oils of your choice (Lavender, rose and jasmine work well)- Food coloring- Oats- Vitamin E Oil (Optional)- Almond Oil

Instructions:1) Grate soap in a blender or food processor.2) Boil a pot of water and put a glass bowl over the pot, (like a double boiler.)3) Add some almond oil into the bowl.4) Add the soap into the bowl.5) Take the water from the pot and add it into the bowl until soap changes into paste.6) Add oils, color, and vitamin E as desired.7) Let cool in molds of your choice. You can use anything for a mold - ice cube trays, cookie cutters or your own hand.(To make hand soap, flatten soap paste to approximately 1/4 inch. Trace your hand on to the surface of the paste and mold accordingly. Finish by writing "hand soap.")8) Air out on wax paper for a day or two.

Experiment! Make different shapes of soap or don't mix the color all the way in. Oats are great for exfoliating. Lavender pieces and rose petals can sometimes mold or rot if you don't air the soap out properly, so be careful. Your utensils should not be used for food afterwards but if you need to, wash very thoroughly.

Funky face-masks, smashing soap and lovely lip-glosses are awesome products but they can be really expensive. If you aren't afraid to get your hands dirty, I have an easy way for you to get the goods this summer without the high costs.

You can make all these products at home if you have the right ingredients. These recipes are easy and cheap to make... and make rad gifts for your friends.Follow these directions to make some dope soap:Materials:- Bars of natural fragrance or color free soap- Essential oils of your choice (Lavender, rose and jasmine work well)- Food coloring- Oats- Vitamin E Oil (Optional)- Almond Oil

Instructions:1) Grate soap in a blender or food processor.2) Boil a pot of water and put a glass bowl over the pot, (like a double boiler.)3) Add some almond oil into the bowl.4) Add the soap into the bowl.5) Take the water from the pot and add it into the bowl until soap changes into paste.6) Add oils, color, and vitamin E as desired.7) Let cool in molds of your choice. You can use anything for a mold - ice cube trays, cookie cutters or your own hand.(To make hand soap, flatten soap paste to approximately 1/4 inch. Trace your hand on to the surface of the paste and mold accordingly. Finish by writing "hand soap.")8) Air out on wax paper for a day or two.

Experiment! Make different shapes of soap or don't mix the color all the way in. Oats are great for exfoliating. Lavender pieces and rose petals can sometimes mold or rot if you don't air the soap out properly, so be careful. Your utensils should not be used for food afterwards but if you need to, wash very thoroughly.